BY ALAN SHERROD Sunday afternoon’s Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s Chamber Classics concert at the Bijou was not “Mostly Mozart,” but it was—at least—“partly Mozart” in much the same clever spirit and variety that has been showcased in the notable long-running…
Covid-19 Precautions: Knoxville Venues Update Entry Requirements for the Fall Season
Perhaps avoidable, but now undeniably inevitable, the major downtown Knoxville live performance venues—the Tennessee and Bijou Theatres—have updated their entry requirements to reflect the need and importance of Covid-19 vaccinations in preventing further spread of the virus. Effective immediately, and…
Review: The Bijou Theatre Sees An Energetic Installment of KSO’s Concertmaster Series
BY ALAN SHERROD When the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra began its Concertmaster Series of chamber music in 2012 under former concertmaster Gabriel Lefkowitz, its concept of attracting new audiences to alternative venues seemed very contemporary and cool. Housed in a…
KSO Resumes Concert Schedule for Limited Live Audiences at Tennessee and Bijou Theatres
BY ALAN SHERROD Beginning this weekend, music-deprived audiences of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will once again be able to attend live performances in downtown’s Tennessee and Bijou Theatres—albeit on a limited seating basis. Following a painful year of public…
Big Ears Festival To Open ‘SITES & SOUNDS’ on Friday with R.B. Morris — Live From the Bijou Theatre
All over the U.S., it is a time of struggle for artists and arts organizations — a struggle to balance the need to continue the creative energy of live performance, with the absolute requirement for safety in the face of…
Review: UT Opera Theatre Sparkles With ‘The Elixir of Love’
By Alan Sherrod Throughout its 187 year history, Gaetano Donizetti’s bel canto comedy The Elixir of Love (L’elisir d’amore) has remained high on the list of most-performed operas worldwide. This popularity comes at a price, though, as opera companies…
Big Ears 2018 – Q&A With Diamanda Galás
A Diamanda Galás performance is unlike any other performance you’ll ever see — even unlike other Diamanda Galás performances. Since the 1970s the singer has been stunning—and occasionally shocking—audiences with her uncanny vocalizations and theatrical stage presence.
Review: KSO Goes Bach to Mozart with a Freshness and Sparkle
Confessions of a Bachophile — Chapter 17 In my review of the Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra’s February concert that included the J.S. Bach Concerto for Two Violins, I stated—humorously, I thought—that it seemed listeners simply could not get enough of…
Review: UT Opera Finds Nuptial Chemistry in Mozart’s ‘The Marriage of Figaro’
Last weekend in the Bijou, the University of Tennessee Opera Theatre explored the beauty of Mozart’s ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ (‘The Marriage of Figaro’), experimented with some fine vocal combinations, added some hot, dazzling visuals, and ended up with a vibrant, energetic production.
Knoxville Opera Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary with a Gala Concert
A 40th birthday is looked on by most as an unfortunate, but inevitable, milestone—particularly if you happen to be 39. Outside of the human context, though, 40 years is a mark of admirable longevity. For example, the original Star Wars,…